Police charge man with Smethwick cemetery wrecking spree

POLICE have charged a man with carrying out a wrecking spree at a Midland cemetery, which left families devastated.

POLICE have charged a man with carrying out a wrecking spree at a Midland cemetery, which left families devastated.

Damage to scores of gravestones at Thimblemill Cemetery in Thimblemill Road, Smethwick will cost an estimated £100,000 to put right, according to police.

Officers swooped on an address in Reading in the early hours of Saturday morning and arrested a 40-year-old man.

They have charged him with criminal damage and he will today appear at Warley Magistrates court.

On Saturday the Birmingham Mail revealed how horrified relatives had travelled to the cemetery to see the damage for themselves, and to carry out repairs where possible.

Trudy Puta, 22, of Cape Hill revealed her late husband Chilunga’s headstone had been targeted: “I’m disgusted. Of all the places to come and do something like this, this is the worst.”

Ron Carter, 64, from Newtown, was there tending to the grave of his pal Brian Hanley, from Smethwick. Mr Carter said a whole horizontal marble piece which had covered the spot where Mr Hanley’s body lay had been pulled up and smashed.

He added: “Brian’s widow June couldn’t face coming up – she’s in tears.”

Valerie Roberts, 71, of Oldbury was visiting the gravestone of her mother Kathleen Preece, who died in 2008 aged 96.

“There was dirt and mud thrown at it and no flowers left – they were strewn all over the place,” said Valerie, visiting with her daughter Kay Read.

A police spokesman said: “A 40-year-old man suspected of going on a wrecking spree at a Smethwick cemetery – causing damage to gravestones estimated at £100,000 – has been charged by police.

“More than 40 headstones – some of which were solid marble and worth up to £8,000 – were smashed at Thimblemill Cemetery in Thimblemill Road overnight between Wednesday March 2 and Thursday March 3.

“Officers investigating the incident arrested a man living in the Reading area in the early hours of Saturday morning and following questioning charged him with causing criminal damage.

“He was remanded in custody and will appear at Warley magistrates on Monday morning.”